The Fight
by charleypop
Summary: This story takes place directly after The Elite. Maxon has told America that she has his heart, but has lost his trust. Now that she has made the decision to fight to stay, to fight for Maxon, how will she win him back? How will she gain back the trust of the one she loves, and of the people around her? (Please read the note at the end of chapter one for more explanation).
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so this story takes place directly after the end of** ** _The Elite._** **Please read the note at the end! I know it is long but it will explain some important things! Happy reading!**

* * *

I spent the rest of the day helping my maids clean and organize my room. My room had been a mess from the rebel attack, but because my maids had been so concerned with sending me off in style, they hadn't worried about putting it back together. We were able to finish by dinner, so I had food sent up to my room and the four of us sat on my bed, eating and discussing what to do now.

Anne reiterated her thoughts about the situation. "We need a plan, miss." I nodded, agreeing, running over everything Maxon had told me when informing me I could stay. The list was long with what I had been doing wrong and what I needed to improve on.

"Well, the broad version version we need is how to gain back Maxon's trust."

"And quickly!" Lucy piped in, "There are only four girls left miss. He is supposed to choose a bride when it gets down to three." I nodded, taking that information in. In that moment my mind started wandering to Natalie, I would guess she is on her way home now, if not already there. I ached for her. I could imagine only too easily how she must feel. If I were to lose May, I'm not sure I would be able to move on.

"Miss, are you alright?" Anne was watching me cautiously.

I felt something warm and wet roll down my cheek and I realized I was crying. I quickly wiped the tear away and smiled. "I'm fine; I promise."

Anne didn't look convinced, but didn't press the matter. "Alright," she answered slowly. After watching me closely for a few seconds more, she decided that I was telling the truth, or that there were more important matters. "If we are going to help you win, Lady America, you will need to tell us everything his majesty said to you, as close to word for word as you can, not leaving anything out. We need to know exactly what to do."

I was taken back a bit by her boldness; it was uncharacteristic of her. She seemed to realize that when I didn't answer right away, because she quietly added, "If that is alright, of course."

"Of course. Well, he told me that I had his heart, and that I still do, but he couldn't trust me." I relayed to them the long list Maxon had given me. When I am not happy, I act rashly, shut out and blame Maxon. And occasionally, like the last report, I try and change the entire country. He needs to be able to depend on me and trust me with his secrets; he needs to know that I won't judge him, question him, or hold things back. He needs me to be completely open with him; he needs me to have faith in him.

In the end, we decided that I needed two plans. One for Maxon, which sounded simple enough. In order to gain his trust, I needed to trust him completely. I needed to trust his actions, his decisions, and trust him with me—all of me. I needed to trust him with all of my secrets, all of my feelings, everything. The second plan, however, was miles more difficult and we had no idea how to go about it. I needed to convince the king to at the very least not want to see me dead, or thrown out onto the streets as lower than an eight. I wouldn't be surprised if he added a ninth level to the caste system just for me. Anne, Mary, Lucy and I were all in agreement that something had to be done to convince King Clarkson, but none of us had any idea what.

After hours of planning, my maids and I decided that we had gotten as much done as we were going to be able that day and got me ready for bed. "Sleep well, Lady America. You are going to need it tomorrow." I thanked them for all they had done and wished them goodnight.

Though I was warm, and comfortable, and happy knowing that I would be staying, I had a difficult time falling asleep. My mind kept replaying the conversation I had had with Maxon the night before and earlier that day. I could understand why Maxon didn't trust me anymore, but it still hurt. He had been nothing but kind and loving toward me and how did I repay him? I announced live to all of Illea that we should demolish the caste system, showed the diary he entrusted to me which lead to his father beating him. Then there was that. How could the King do that to his own son? I mean, I knew he was cruel, but that? And Maxon was hurt because of me. I caused that pain.

I knew Maxon was strong and brave, but I hadn't a clue how much until last night. He told me he took those beatings for me. I recalled Gavril's words to me after the report. "He must love you very much...he's never stood up to his father like that." I could only imagine how frightening that must have been for him, but he still did it for me.

Then it dawned on me.

Maxon loves me.

He loves me. That is why he did everything. That is why I am still here. Considering all this,, mulling it around in my head, I came to another realization.

I love him.

I made a decision right then. I would never give Maxon a reason to doubt me, never again. I was determined to make sure he never felt like he had to go to Celeste again. I was entirely his from now on; here was no more tossing an turning between him and Aspen. I was going to fight for Maxon; I would prove to him that I loved him and that I was willing to take on the job that came with him, that I was capable of taking on that job.

With this new knowledge, I drifted off into peaceful sleep.

* * *

 **Hello everyone!**

 **A few years ago, while waiting for** ** _The One_** **to come out, I started a story titled "The Fight" that was what my version of** ** _The One_** **would be like. I finished that story and had started on a sequel when some personal things came up and I decided to completely separate myself from fanfiction. And now I have decided to come back and bring my story back!**

 **This won't be exactly the same as I had written it the first time (because I didn't keep a copy of the original), but I will do my best to keep it as close as I can. I had started the story originally because I was excited for** ** _The One_** **to come out and there were certain things I was hoping to see happen in it. So while waiting, I had decided to write my own story where all of those would happen. I needed some outlet for my obsessing and this became it.**

 **Before going any further in the story, I wanted to share what some of the things I wanted to see were (these will be things that will be included in the story):**

 **1) America and Queen Amberly: I was super excited to see these two grow closer. We had been told by Amberly's sister Adele that once the selection was narrowed down, we would see more of the Queen. And to be honest, I was a bit disappointed in** ** _The One_** **with this. I felt like there was so much potential between these two. So there will definitely be a lot more of the queen in my story, and most specifically, more with the relationship between the queen and America.**

 **2) America finally giving up on Aspen and finally focusing on Maxon: I mean, in the safe room they both basically admitted to loving each other, but didn't say it out loud because they assumed that America would be leaving. It drove my nuts in The One how they both refused to say it and how America kept Aspen around like a lap dog. I really wanted to see what would happen when America chose Maxon and really put forth effort there.**

 **3) August and Georgia: Okay, so** ** _The One_** **came out about a third of the way into my story, and I read it and had decided to incorporate some things from** ** _The One_** **into my story. August and Georgia were basically my favorite. I felt like there was real potential there, especially between America and Georgia and I really wanted to see those two grow closer. And I thought the relationship between Maxon and America and the rebels was really interesting.**

 **4) Maxon learning more about the lower castes: I really, really loved the scene in** ** _The Selection_** **where America was trying to explain to Maxon why she could almost justify stealing. I felt like she really opened his eyes and I felt like he would really want to learn more after that.**

 **5) Celeste and America: I loved how in the end, Kiera Cass changed that relationship!**

 **6) Overall, I just really wanted to see America act more, become more involved instead of just skating by. I really wanted to see her try.**

 **I really could make this list go on forever, but I am going to stop there. I am really excited for this (though I know it is a bit behind in where current fanfiction for this series is) and I really hope you guys enjoy this! I am hoping to be able to post a new chapter at least once a week. I may post more often, but will try and guarantee at least once a week. I love to get comments and will try and respond to everyone (usually at the end of chapters).**

 **Thanks guys!**

 **(extra note: This story will be CLEAN! It is rated a little higher because there will be more on the relationship between King Clarkson and Maxon (and then some rebel attacks), but other than that it will be clean. No language, nothing explicit!)**

 **(Disclaimer: I don't own The Selection series, it's characters, settings, plots, etc. This story and plot were made up by me. There will be some crossover between this story and _The One_ [there will be a few scenes that are very similar to some in the book, but what happens because of those scenes will be different]. Also, most of the characters will be from the series, but they will be a bit different than from the books, and there will be some new characters who I created.)**


	2. Chapter 2

I was woken up the next morning by my maids throwing the curtains open (their way of gently waking me up). When she saw I was awake, Mary smiled at me. "Good morning, Lady America. Did you sleep well?"

"Actually, I did. Thank you Mary." She quickly ushered me into the bathroom and started getting me ready for the day. When I came back out of the bathroom, I was surprised to find Lucy and Anne hanging up a number of garment bags in my closet. "Girls, what is going on?"

Lucy looked like she was about to burst from excitement. "Well, Miss, after we left, we were thinking more about the second plan..." She was grinning ear to ear.

After a moment's pause, I asked, "And? What do," I counted the bags, "one, two, three, four, five? What do five new dresses have to do with that? Did you make these all last night?"

"Most of them we had already started." I looked at Lucy, waiting for her to answer the rest of the question. Instead, Anne spoke.

"Well, we thought about it and decided that an issue we need to address is how the public sees you. They don't really see you as princess material at the moment, according to the latest polls. _So,_ " Anne over emphasized the word to keep my attention, noticing the worried look on my face, "we decided we need to change that."

"So, a new dress is going to convince them I am princess material?" I asked doubtfully.

Lucy was about to start bouncing off the walls at any second. With a slight pang in my heart, I realized she reminded me of May in that moment. She went to unzip the bag they had hung over the door instead of in the closet. Inside was the most stunning dress I had seen yet. It was clearly meant to be a day dress, but it was no ordinary day dress. The first word that came to my mind when I saw it was regal. "No, miss. We were hoping that a new wardrobe would help them start to see you as a queen, not just a princess."

"I...I think you've lost me." I was looking back and forth between my maids and my new dress. I could see what they meant about the dress. It did look fit for a queen, for Queen Amberly. But surely not me.

Anne explained further. "We figured, the rest of these girls are vying to be the princess—"

"But isn't that exactly what I am trying to do, too?"

"Yes...but you wouldn't be a princess for very long before Prince Maxon will become King. A few years at most. And after princess, you will become queen, which is far more important. We decided that the public needs to be able to see you not only the person that could be their princess, but eventually their queen." It wasn't lost on me how Anne spoke as if I already had the position guaranteed. Not _if_ I become princess, not _if_ I win back Maxon, but when.

"Which means an entirely new wardrobe and new look," finished Mary. "We've drawn from Queen Amberly's look and your preference for simple styles." I was speechless. Every day I was more and more thankful for these three women.

"Well?" Inquired Lucy, "What do you think?"

"I think that I don't deserve to have you three as my maids, as my friends. You three are incredible."

Lucy grinned, and Mary smiled, and Anne even blushed. "All right, enough of that. We need to get you off to breakfast to show off your new look!" And with that, they dove back into preparations.

Once they finished, I almost didn't recognize myself in the mirror. The person looking back at me stood straighter, taller. She looked confident and sure in what she wanted. She was different, but still the same. I was different, but still the same. I could already sense a change in myself from everything that had happened in the last forty-eight hours, but I was still the girl who loved Maxon.

Anne put on the last touch, my songbird necklace, and whispered, "Go get him, Miss."

* * *

As I got closer to the Great Hall for breakfast, I could feel my confidence begin to fall. Since I had returned to my room the night before, I hadn't actually seen anyone other than my maids. Suddenly I found the the scene of Kriss coming up to Maxon at the door to confirm dinner plans, and the scene with King Clarkson were playing on repeat in my mind. I noticed my hands starting to shake once I was outside the door. I took a deep breath, shook them out, and stepped inside. I kept my chin up and at least tried to keep my face free from the emotions I was feeling. Maxon once told me that to be a part of this life, I had to learn to act as if everything was fine when it wasn't. I wanted to be part of this life, part of his life. I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I entered the room. I became the elephant in the room. However, the only look I acknowledged was Maxon's. His eyes looked me up and down, taking in the change, and a soft smile spread over his face. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep me going.

"America, it is good to have you back," Kriss stated with a smug look on her face. She was enjoying being on top.

"Thank you, Kriss. I'm glad I'm here." The rest of breakfast passed without much more conversation. King Clarkson left only minutes after I arrived, though I could feel his glare on me that entire time. Maxon left not much longer after him.

After breakfast, I went to find Silvia. Talking with my maids the night before, we all came to the conclusion that I won't even have a chance at accomplishing everything I needed to if Silvia wasn't on my side. I knew I had really hurt her the night of the report. I, her start student who had sought out more work and help from her, had completely failed my presentation. If I was going to get her back on my side, I needed to apologize and show that I could be that start student again. I had to prove to her that I cared enough to learn what she could teach.

After asking a few maids and even a guard, I finally found Silvia's personal study. I knocked and was answered with a call to come in.

"Lady America, this is a surprise." Her tone said that it wasn't a happy one.

I walked up to her desk and looked down. But then decided against it and looked back up to meet her gaze. "Yes, I came to apologize."

"Oh? What for?" I had never seen her look so cold. She folded her hands in front of me and waited for my answer.

"For my behavior on the report the other day. I know I disappointed you. My actions were rash and not well planned out."

Silvia watched me for a minute, and then sighed. She dropped her rigid composure for one slightly less. "I'm not sure dissappointed is quite the right word. Yes, your actions were rash and consequences of it were not thought through very well. But," She paused, as if deciding if she was really going to finish what she was about to say. She decided to and continued, "it really wasn't a terrible presentation. Poor topic choice without question, but not a bad presentation." I felt myself relax.

"Thank you, Silvia. I am sorry."

I swore she almost smiled when she replied, "I know. Thank you, America, I accept your apology. Now, if that is all, I really must get back to work."

"Actually, I wanted to ask if we could start up my private lessons again?"

She was surprised by my request. "You want to continue with your extra lessons?"

"Yes, I've come to see the value in them, especially if I hope to be the next princess."

And there was the winning statement. The smile on Silvia's face was true and genuine this time. "I'm glad to hear. Well, I don't have anything prepared at the moment. If you come back later this afternoon or this evening, I am sure I can find something."

"Thank you, Silvia."

"You're welcome, Lady America. Now really, I do have work I need to get back to." I left her study. Once I was outside and out of earshot, I let out a breath that I hadn't realized I had been holding. One person down, far more than I can count to go.

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 **OdeliaLovesBooks** —Thank you so much for the review! It means so much to me to receive such a positive review after only the first chapter. It makes me so happy to hear that you like writing style of the story and that you see potential in it! I hope it lives up to your expectations!

 **debbiewilliams1130** —Your review makes me so happy! I'm sorry I had to remove it the first time, but I am so glad that you were able to find it again! Hopefully you enjoy it just as much! It won't be exactly the same as it was the first time, but hopefully it will stay fairly close!


	3. Chapter 3

And just like that, a week passed. It wasn't until my maids were preparing me for the report that that thought hit me. It's been a week. It's been a week since I threw Illea a curve-ball. It's been a week since that terrible rebel attack. It's been a week since I was locked in a safe room with Maxon. It's been a week since I had first hand experience with Maxon's deepest and darkest secret. It's been a week since my whole world was changed.

It had been a busy week. Silvia was giving me even more work to do than she had before the report. I'm sure in her mind she was dealing out some form of discipline for what I had done. Most of what Silvia gave me dealt with the responsibilities I would have as a princess, so my maids took on etiquette tutoring. There had been a number of small rebel attacks. From what I could tell, they had all been from the Northern Rebels. No real damage was ever done, at least none that was noticeable. The palace had mostly recovered from Southern Rebel's attack, though there was still some evidence in areas of the palace that weren't used as much.

But I wasn't the only one that had been kept busy the whole week. I saw Maxon less and less as the week progressed. He came to meals for the first couple days, but then slowly stopped coming until I didn't see him or the King at any meals anymore. The few times that I would catch glimpses of him, walking to another meeting, in the safe room during an attack, and even a couple times walking with Kriss, he looked more and more worn down. His hair was often disheveled, his tie loose and shirt wrinkled. But what I noticed most were his shoulders. If someone were to look at him, they might mistake him for Atlas, holding the weight of the world on them. It was a weight that didn't seem to let him sleep either with how tired he looked.

The same held true when he showed up for the report. The other girls had been talking when he came in, so they weren't paying attention. But I saw him. He took one step inside and my heart broke at the sight. He stopped before he would really be noticed, took a deep breath, pulled back his shoulders, straightened his tie and fixed his hair and continued in as if nothing in the world was wrong. But his whole world was.

I only caught snippets, but from what I had caught, everything was crashing down around him. Rebel attacks were getting worse. The attack on the palace that night was only one of many. New Asia was getting worse. I also caught rumors that they were having issues with France and some contract. His relationship with his father was no doubt even worse than it had been. And knowing Maxon, he was taking it all personally.

I watched him from the second he entered the room to the second Gavril started _The Report,_ hoping to catch his eye. It wasn't until his father stood to give the update that Maxon looked my way. I tugged my ear, hoping he could see the concern on my face. He couldn't even muster a smile when he tugged back.

The Report was uneventful. The King's update was mainly about the rebel attacks and New Asia. Gavril talked to Maxon about sending Natalie home, and besides sitting there and looking pretty, the Elite weren't involved at all.

When it ended, I tried to linger a bit to catch Maxon, but he was pulled aside by Gavril. He did look up at me and smile. And though it was easily the saddest smile I have ever seen, it was a smile. I made my way back to my room. I changed out of my dress, but because I was expecting Maxon, I put on pants and a soft shirt instead of my nightgown. While waiting, I decided to try and work on a packet of budgeting work Silvia had given me. I sat down on the couch, but as I tried to get work done was finding it harder and harder to keep my eyes open.

The next thing I knew I was being lifted off the couch and carried to my bed in someone's arms. I opened my eyes to see the culprit.

"Maxon?"

He smiled softly and laid me on the bed. Sitting on the edge, he said, "Sorry, my darling. I was trying not to wake you. Go back to sleep."

I shook my head and sat up. Running the tiredness from my eyes, I asked, "What time is it?"

"Just past one am. You should really go back to sleep, America."

Instead I moved over to his side. "No, I have barely seen you this week, let alone spent time with you."

His face dropped and he leaned forward until his elbows were resting on his knees. He slowly rubbed his face. When he finally responded, he stayed bent forward, but turned his head to look at my. "Yes, I know. I'm sorry about that. With everything that is going on, I am in meetings before the sun goes up until long after it goes down. And my father won't let me miss any of them to go on any dates." A humorless laugh escaped him. "Well, actually, he won't let me miss to go on any dates with you. He had no problem letting me leave early to go see Kriss or one of the other girls." His tone was bitter and almost sarcastic. When he spoke next, he let his head drop so he was looking at the floor. "His opinion of you isn't very high at the moment, as you're probably aware."

I could see in every inch of him how deeply it bothered him. Instinctively I reached out to rub his back. But the second I touched him, not just his back but his whole body tensed. I quickly pulled my hand back.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. "I didn't even think—"

He was shaking his head before I could finish. "No, I'm sorry. I've just been on edge a lot lately and it can be hard to turn it off. My back is perfectly fine, America. It doesn't hurt at all." Seeing the unbelief in my eyes, he sat up, rested his hand on my knee and explained, "You really helped with how well you fixed it up the first time. I'm fine, my darling, really."

I moved closer to his side, taking his hand and resting my head against his shoulder. I was quiet for a few minutes before finally speaking, but I couldn't manage to speak much louder than a whisper. "I'm so sorry, Maxon."

"Whatever for? If you are talking about my back, then you needn't. It's not your fault, America." His thumb was rubbing circles on the back of my hand, an attempt to soothe that didn't work.

"But it is!" I countered. I sat up to look at him. "It was my stupid presentation on the report that made your father angry enough to do it to you—"

"America," he cut in, "my father was at the point that you could have sneezed and he would have taken it as excuse enough. And truly, he was far more angry that you are the one that I want and that I refused to eliminate you than the fact that you announced to all of Illea you wanted to demolish the caste system. For him, it was the final excuse he had been looking for to punish me. And he found my weak spot so I would comply."

His weak spot. Me. The King had threatened to take me and talk to me first, but Maxon jumped in. I remembered him telling me in the safe room that he had been afraid that, if King Clarkson didn't have him, he would go for someone else. "That—is terrible, Maxon."

"It's nothing you need to worry about, my darling. I can handle it." He gave my hand a squeeze and looked away. "Besides, I should be going. It's late and you need to go to sleep."

But I didn't move. Instead, I looked him straight in the eye and said, "You shouldn't have to handle it, at least not alone."

Maxon began to protest, "America—"

"No, Maxon, hear me out." He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He raised his eyebrows in an expression that said to continue.

I took a deep breath before continuing. "Maxon, I know we aren't in a great place right now, and I know that is mostly my fault. But—I'm trying, Maxon, I really am trying to make things better, and not just between us. I want to prove to you that I am someone you can trust, someone that you can always go to with anything." Maxon squeezed my hand. "But, Maxon, I can't do that if I don't get time with you, if I never see you. I mean, I know it is hard to find the time for me, and even though it is hard to watch, I know you have to spend time with the other girls. But—I'm asking for a fair chance, Maxon. Even if that means that I have to wait until you are out of meetings for the night and it is the early morning hours like now...I want to be here for you. I don't want you to have any reason to doubt again, or feel like you can't come to me and have to go to someone else for a break from your world." The look that flashed over his face showed he knew I was talking about Celeste. He brought my hand up to his lips and kissed it. "I see the toll your job is taking on you and I can see you try and hide it. You shouldn't have to deal with that alone. I want to be here for you. I am here for you. I'm here, Maxon. I'm here to stay."

I waited for him to say something back. He watched my face in silence and I couldn't read his. He slowly lifted his hand to my cheek and pulled my lips to his. He kissed me deeply and slowly, and for a long time. I hadn't realized how much I had missed him over that week until right then. As he kissed me, he pulled me across his lap to hold me closer. I lost track of time completely in his hold. Eventually he did pull away only to rest his forehead against mine. He kept his eyes closed and his voice was low when he finally spoke. "You have no idea how long I have been waiting for that, America, for all of it. To hear you say those things, for you to say that you choose me." He leaned in and kissed me again, as if he couldn't help himself. "And how desperately I have been wanting to do that, all week, since you walked into breakfast the first time after the attack wearing that dress." His eyes were open now, taking me in.

I laughed. "My maids will be glad to hear that it made an impact after all."

His lips were right against mine when he answered, "Oh, it did." He kissed me once more, then rested his forehead against mine again. "I know it has been unfair to you, that I've been able to see everyone but you this week. And you are right, if we are going to fix things between us, I need to make time for you. But it won't be easy, America, especially with my father. I'll do my best, but we will probably be confined to late nights." His arms tightened around me. He took a moment to consider what he was going to say next before continuing. "You once asked me to give you time, America. Now I'm asking the same in return. Time and patience."

He looked at me, waiting for an actual response. I took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, Maxon." The affect of my words were almost immediate. I could see him physically relax, as if just hearing me say that took off a mountain of stress and worry.

He kissed me a few more times before insisting that he had to leave, and that I needed to get some sleep and refusing to take no as an answer. I walked him to the door and kissed him goodnight one last time. I watched him walk away until he was out of sight before returning to my room and going to bed.

* * *

 **I hope you guys are enjoying it so far; I am super excited to write this again!** **I wanted to get out the first few chapters fairly quickly so there would be a bit more to start with.** **The next update probably won't be for about another week now that I have the first three up. Thank you to everyone who have written reviews so far. I love getting feedback from people reading and love to respond. At the very least, I will try to respond to all the reviews at the end of a chapter, but if I have time I'll respond sooner!**

 **Thanks for reading!**

* * *

 **FlavourOfTea** —Your review made me so happy on the inside! Thank you so much! I really take those compliments to heart, especially because when I first set out to write this (years ago), I was only doing it because I didn't have anyone to share with or talk with over the book. So hearing what you said in your review means a lot! And no worries about ending this soon! I fully intend on keeping with this story until the end (which was my favorite part when I first wrote it and the whole reason I had written it in the first place). Thank you for your review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and some Maxerica fluff :)


	4. Chapter 4

"Ah, Lady America. You are just the person I was looking for." It was as though the blood in my veins was replaced instantly with ice. I froze in place. I could feel a smirk growing on his face and so I forced myself to turn and face him, refusing to allow my face to show the fear I was feeling.

Lowering myself in to a curtsy, I replied, "Your majesty?"

King Clarkson just smiled in return, which was almost more terrifying than his anger. "The five playing dress up." I knew he was baiting me, but I refused to act on it.

Instead, I asked, "You were looking for me? What can I do for you?"

The smile turned to a sneer. "Your presentation on the report last week has been causing quite a bit of uproar among the castes. Because of you, it isn't just rebels causing problems, but anyone unhappy with the station they have been assigned. The lower castes are going out and vandalizing and attacking the upper castes. It is unacceptable and something must be done about it."

"I—I don't understand what you need from me."

"On the next report, you are going to publicly apologize. You are going to retract what you said and tell the public that you were wrong and that removing the caste system would only cause harm, not good. You are going to convince them to be happy where they are."

The surprise in my face must have shown because the sneer grew on the King's face. "Yes, Lady America. This weight is on your shoulders. I don't think I need to warn you of the consequences should you choose to refuse, or do something else rash. You know what I am capable of, Lady America. According to my son, you "saved his life" the night of the attack, which means you know his secret."

I stood stalk still. I don't know what I would have done if I had allowed myself to say anything, or show any emotion.

King Clarkson continued, "You are on the last straw. Any move in the wrong direction, it will snap, and I will personally see to it myself that you leave here for good. You will be giving this apology on the next report in front of all of Illea. I would begin preparation soon."

And with that, he left me. I waited until he was completely gone before I even allowed myself to breathe and I nearly collapsed. I didn't miss the not-so-subtle hint of the consequences of this apology should I say something the King didn't approve of. Not only would I be kicked out, but it could possibly bring harm to Maxon. I almost wondered why, if it was so important to him, he didn't just give me a speech to read off. The answer, however, came to me almost immediately. He wanted a reason to toss me out.

I groaned on the inside; one more thing to add to my mental to-do list.

* * *

Since King Clarkson had caught me on my way back from breakfast, I ended up spending the rest of my day trying to write out my apology speech. Nothing that I was coming up with felt good enough. It wasn't good enough to keep the King pacified; it wasn't good enough to calm down the castes. I knew exactly what the King would have me say, but the only problem with that was that I didn't believe in what the King would have me say if he had written it. Truthfully, while I did deeply regret giving that presentation, I did not believe I was wrong in my opinion that the caste system needed to be removed. I didn't want to tell the people to be complacent where they were. My mind flashed back to the time I tried to describe to Maxon what it was like being hungry enough to steal. How could I tell people to just be okay with that?

I tried writing it in my room, but was unsuccessful. Also, though they would never say anything to me about it, I could tell that I was making it difficult for my maids to get anything done. So after lunch I decided to just go to the Women's room and try to work there. It was a quiet day. Celeste, Kriss, and Elise were all there either reading, watching television, or working on something assigned by Silvia. Queen Amberly was there as well. A couple hours had gone by and I was still stuck. I was just about to leave to find Silvia and see if I could ask her for help when Queen Amberly rose and came over by us.

"Ladies," she waited for us to turn our attention to her, "since it is now down to just the four of you, I have decided it is time that I get to know you better, since any one of you could become my daughter." I could see how deeply she meant and felt that. I recalled the Queen's sister telling me how she didn't see the selection as just a way to find the next princess, but as a way to gain a daughter, to gain another child. "Therefore, over the next few days, I want to meet with each of you individually. It is nothing to be nervous about or something you need to prepare for. Truly, I just want the chance to get to know you personally. I will send you each an invitation with a time later today. We will be meeting in my study on the third floor, so when it is your turn, make sure to bring the invitation to show that you are allowed to be there." She paused in case any of us had any questions. When no one did, she smiled softly and told us, "I really am looking forward to getting to spend time with each of you. I think you all would make a wonderful princess." With that, the Queen left the room. The other girls started to talk with each other about the meetings, but I left the room to find Silvia. Hearing the Queen's announcement only made me want to figure out how to give the apology in a way that would appease both myself and the King even more.


	5. Chapter 5

"America, what do we do? What do they want?" May asked in a quivering voice. The fear in her voice cut straight through me. One of my hands held hers and my other held Gerad's. We were running through the streets at night in Carolina, in our pajamas, barefoot. People were chasing us. I couldn't see them, but somehow I knew exactly who they were. Rebels. Gerad was having a hard time keeping up, so I swept him up and carried him. Tears were running down his face, but I couldn't hear him crying with the sound of blood rushing in my ears. I wasn't afraid for myself, but terrified for my siblings. These were the rebels that came for Natalie's family. I could hear them getting closer to us.

We rounded a corner, hoping to throw them off, but the second we came around, I froze in my tracks.

"Lady America, I warned you. You didn't want me for an enemy. I warned you what would happen if you failed to calm the castes." King Clarkson stood in front of me and I suddenly found the rebels behind us unimportant. Clarkson was walking to the middle of the alley, a belt folded in his hands. "You've lost. You can't keep those you love safe anymore." I looked toward where he was walking to and a sob escaped me. Maxon was kneeling on the ground, hands bound in front of him. His clothes were torn and dirty, his hair a mess. He already looked so beaten. "You were warned. You knew what I am capable of. And now others will pay for what you have done."

"America, no! Get out of here!" Maxon tried to warn me, but it was too late. May suddenly screamed beside me and Gerad was ripped from my arms. The rebels had caught up to us and torn then from me. One of them bound my hands from behind and forced me to the ground. I was screaming and crying for my siblings. Over all of it, I could hear King Clarkson's dark, merciless laugh as he ripped off his sons shirt and raised the belt in his hands.

"This is all because of you, Lady America." And the belt came down. Everything started to move in slow motion.

"NO!" I screamed. "No! No, no. No..." I was screaming and crying. I felt like I wasn't even in my body, but was watching this all happen from above, absolutely no control over the situation.

"Mer!" Someone called out. I could feel them shaking me. "Mer, wake up; it's just a dream. America, open your eyes." I woke with a start, completely disoriented. It took a minute to register that it was Aspen who was leaning over me. He was the one who had been shaking me, trying to wake me. It all been a nightmare.

Without warning, I starting to cry. I couldn't control the emotions that I was feeling.

"Oh, Mer. Come here." Aspen sat down on the edge of my bed and held his arms open for me to crawl into them. It took me a while to calm my breathing and stop shaking, but he was patient.

"What was it about, Mer?" I sat up and wiped my eyes. I didn't trust my voice so I just shook my head. I couldn't tell him. Telling him would let loose too many secrets. The King's threats to me. The King's relationship with Maxon, which would include Maxon's deepest secret. No, I couldn't tell Aspen anything. "Mer, come on. You can still trust me."

"Aspen, please. It's not that I don't trust you—" I just shook my head, not able to continue.

Aspen looked at me, and then laughed humorlessly. Shaking his head, he turned away from me, staring off into nowhere. "I'm not him." I had no response to that, so I just waited for him to say something else. "When I heard you were staying, I thought maybe—" He shook his head. "But you haven't—I haven't seen you." He reached out to the penny jar that for some reason I had been unable to throw away since deciding I would stay. But it had a new addition. The button bracelet. I had taken it off a day or two after the attack. Aspen pulled out the bracelet and played with it between his fingers. "I decided to give you your space to think, to breathe, like you asked." He shook his head and I heard him sigh. Now he turned and looked back at me. "It's him, isn't it?"

He asked it as a question, but I could tell he knew the answer. I didn't even open my mouth. "That's what I thought. What happened between us, Mer? We used to be perfect together, and I know I caused problems when I broke it off the first time. But there is something more than that."

I sighed. "We've both changed, Aspen. Coming here, being at the palace, it has changed both of us."

"But we were so in love. America, I was going to give you everything back in Carolina."

"That is just it, though. Aspen, those two people from Carolina, the ones that were so in love, they don't exist anymore. I don't need you to give me everything anymore. For the rest of my life I will have everything I could need by just being a three. We want different things now. You need someone you can care for and protect, and I don't need that from you anymore."

Aspen let out that laugh again, as though it was just to fill space, like he didn't know what to say. We were both silent for a minute before Aspen whispered, "I don't understand it, America. I don't understand him or what you see in him, but obviously you really love him, so I am missing something. But if I can't have you, I at least want you to be happy."

"He does make me happy." Aspen nodded and looked away again. "Aspen, I may not be in love with you anymore, and I'm sure if you really thought about it, you would realize you aren't in love with me either, but I want you to be happy again. I still care, just not in the same way." I reached out and touched his arm. I could see he was struggling with this.

His hand covered mine. "Thank-you, America. And no matter what happens between us, I'll always be here for you. I'd still do anything for you." I leaned in and kissed the side of his head. Both he and I could tell it was a kiss goodbye. He patted my hand and stood to leave.

"I should go before someone finds that I'm not where I should be. America, I don't know what had you so scared, but you're safe. I won't let anything happen to you."

I smiled. "Thank-you, Aspen." He nodded and left to go stand guard outside again.

It was true, I didn't love Aspen anymore, at least not in that way. But that didn't mean that he didn't still hold a place in my heart. I was sure he always would. But I did know that as long as he was in my life, he would still be my protector, whether he thought I need it or not.

Before settling back in to go to sleep, I climbed out of bed and picked up the penny jar with the button bracelet in it. I held it in my hands for a minute, all the memories with it flooding back. I carried it over to the trash can and gently set it inside.

I climbed back into bed. Feeling warm and safe, I slipped back into a peaceful sleep.

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 **I hoped you guys enjoyed these two chapters! I had intended for them to just be one, but as I was writing them I didn't like how they fit together, so I decided to split them.**

 **When I was first writing this story, I really did not like Aspen (especially in the books! America just needed to let go!) but I felt like he wasn't just going to go away, even in the version I wanted to write. It took me a while, but I finally found an Aspen that I like. You got a glimpse of him in this chapter. I really didn't want to keep him around as a lap dog, but I felt he still needed to be a part of America's life. So just to clear things up, Aspen has let go. He realizes that America is moved on past him and really is in love with Maxon. And America has let go of Aspen too. But, especially with both of them in the palace together, they can't just leave each other behind completely. So anything from here on out between them is purely platonic. No romance between them at all.**

 **All right, that is it for now! I hoped you guys enjoyed these chapters! Thanks for reading :)**

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 **BookNerd5678** —It makes me happy to hear that you are loving the story! And I know how you feel! But no worries, they will work it out! Even if they have to be creative about it ;)

 **FlavourOfTea** —Reading reviews from you just makes me smile! Thank you! And I love when people write reviews, and I feel like if they are going to take the time to write a review, then I can take the time to give a quick response (especially when the reviews are so nice!). I hope you enjoyed these chapter.s! One of the things that drove me (drives me) the craziest about a lot of the fan fictions of this series and even in _The One_ is how they focus so much on America's insecurities, and I really didn't want to do that in my story. And, then there was Aspen. It kind-of drove me nuts how he was kept around for no real reason. It took me awhile to find a way to keep Aspen that I liked, because I felt like he would still be a part of the story, but he and America needed to be through. So that was part of what this chapter was about.

 **Guest 1** —Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope you enjoyed these chapters!

 **Guest 2** —I really do understand the problem with having to drop really good stories because they weren't clean! That is another reason I set out to write this story for the first time a few years ago. I wanted there to be something that I could read without having to worry about anything. It is only rated T because of things that happen between Maxon and his father (and truth be told, it is probably a bit high of a rating, but I figure better safe than sorry).

 **Guest 3** —Oh my goodness, you make me smile! I want you to know that I really take those compliments to heart and that they mean a lot to me. And no worries, I fully intend to see this story all the way through to the end. I started it the very first time with the end planned first, so that is easily my favorite part and there is no way I would end this story before reaching it!


	6. Chapter 6

Silvia and I spent the next couple days working on my speech. We spent hours at a time going over what I did, what the King wanted, what would calm down the people. We finally finished it around mid-day a few days after my encounter with the King. Silvia seemed very proud of it and multiple times stressed to me that I needed to remember to stick to the script when I gave it. I left not long after we finished it; Silvia offered to help me practice delivering it, but I used the excuse that I had to go get ready for tea with Queen Amberly, even though I wasn't supposed to meet with her for another few hours.

I ended up going back to my room. Something wasn't sitting right with me and I couldn't quite put my finger on what exactly it was. I decided that it was just nerves about having to give the apology speech in a few days, especially with the weight that it carried. Feeling that I needed something to comfort myself, I sat down at my piano and started to play. As the music flowed out of my fingers to the piano, I realized that I had played hardly at all since coming to the palace, and as The Selection went on, I had played less and less. I must have sat at that piano for over an hour. It did nothing to soothe my mind, but it did bring clarity.

What wasn't right was the speech I was giving. True, I had written it so that I wouldn't have to go against what I believed, but it didn't really go with it either. It did nothing to show the people that I was on their side. I wrote it purely to please the King; I felt like a pawn in his game and I didn't like it.

About an hour before I was to meet with the Queen, my maids came in to help me prepare. Before I knew it, I was standing outside the Queen's personal study, handing my invitation to the guard. After looking at it, he knocked on the door, then opened it and announced me.

"Lady America, you're majesty."

She looked up from her desk and smiled at me. "Lady America, welcome. Please, have a seat." She motioned toward the couches and chairs in the middle of the room. Queen Amberly stood from her desk and came and joined me. Before the guard left the room, she turned to him and asked, "Would you please have some tea sent up?"

"Of course, your majesty." He bowed and left the room.

"Please, America, relax. You really have nothing to worry about." I tried, but was sure that I wasn't convincing her. Queen Amberly, however, seemed perfectly relaxed. "I must admit, I have been looking forward to meeting with you most, America."

"Really?" I blurted. I blushed and sat back when I realized my mistake, but the Queen only smiled kindly at me.

"Really. I know much more than you may think, America, especially when it comes to you and my son." I raised my eyes. Surely she didn't know everything that happened in the safe room that night. "I know that you two spent the night in the safe room together, and I can see that things between the two of you have changed since then. You, especially, Lady America, I have seen a change in over the past couple weeks. You have become much more...active...in the selection process." Queen Amberly watched me, as if she was waiting or me to say something back, but I hadn't a clue what to say, so I just sat quietly.

"America, I care about my son, and I care about his happiness. The toll his job takes on him does not go unnoticed by me. I truly wish there was more that I could do for him. He carries a weight that no one his age should have to carry." I knew exactly what she meant and how she felt. "I was actually very grateful for this selection; I hoped that Maxon would be able to find someone that would help him carry that burden. I hoped he would find someone he could love deeply and who loved him back. I hoped he would be able to find someone who would be good for the country, but more importantly, good for him." She paused, once again seeming to wait for me to say something, but I couldn't think of anything.

With a warm smile, Queen Amberly leaned in towards me a bit; in a softer voice, she concluded, "I believe that someone is you, America."

I don't know what I was expecting her to say, but that was not it. "Me? I—why me?"

Queen Amberly smiled, as if this was a question she had been waiting for me to ask. "I see the way my son looks at you, America. I see the way his countenance lifts when you walk in the room. I know that he had gotten special permission to propose to you the night of the Halloween ball. Maxon doesn't tell me everything, but he tells me enough. And the fact that you are still here, sitting in front of me tells me quite a bit." There was a knock at the door. A maid entered with a tray of tea and some sweets. Queen Amberly didn't finish what she had been saying until she had left after serving us.

"And I see how you look at him, America. I can tell that you care deeply for my son. I know that a lot has happened between the two of you, that there have been a number of mistakes and misunderstandings. However, after watching you the past couple weeks, I think you are beginning to learn." I could only nod my head.

This time, when the Queen smiled, it was more of a motherly smile. "I'm glad to hear, because there is a lot we will need to work on and fix if you are going to be princess."

I almost choked on my tea. "I don't think I understand."

"Oh, I'm quite sure that you do, Lady America. There are some rough spots we will need to work on—such as your tendency to overreact—but I believe you can be what this country needs for a princess. And more importantly, I believe you are what Maxon needs."

"I'm not sure what to say."

"Well, I surely hope you would say that you want the same things and that you are ready to work to earn the title."

'Of course I am, your majesty."

"When it is just the two of us, America, why don't you call me Amberly."

"I'm not sure—"

"If the rest of the selection goes the way we both want, then I don't see why you couldn't."

"Okay, Amberly it is then."

Amberly smiled wide. "Well, enough small talk. If we are going to make you the next princess, there is a lot of work to do. We should probably start with this apology speech you will be giving in a few days. You've been working with Silvia to get it finished, correct?"

My happy mood dropped and the uneasy feeling from earlier returned. "Yes."

Amberly heard the change in my voice. "What is wrong, America?"

"I just—I know that what I did on the report was wrong, but—I meant what I said about abolishing the castes. I know now that to deliver that message that way in front of all of Illea was a bad way to go about it, but I am not sure I can apologize for saying what I believe in."

"America, I am going to give you some advice that I hope you take to heart. You will always have people who will argue against what you believe to be right. That number of people will only increase and become louder when you become princess. You have a natural sense to fight back; it is one of the qualities that my son admires in you, that I admire in you. But, my husband, for example, doesn't. America, you need to hold onto that tendency. You cannot allow other people to change what you believe, only you can do that. True that one of the things we need to work on is using that tendency in the right way. But America, if you truly do not believe in or agree with the speech that you wrote, then I would highly discourage you from giving it."

"Really? Even if giving a different speech would go against what the King said to do?"

"I believe that you can find some middle ground between what my husband wants and what you believe. And you need to, America."

* * *

The rest of my time with the Queen was spent discussing what else I would need to do to become princess, and then casual conversation to get to know each other. She asked me about my life in Carolina, about my family, about my job. We talked a little bit about Maxon and Queen Amberly shared some embarrassing stories from his childhood. It felt like a normal conversation It reminded me of conversations I used to have with Lena Leger when I was in love with her son.

As I was walking back to my room to change for dinner, I was lost in thought and ran into someone in the hall. I was almost knocked over backwards, but strong hands reached out and caught me.

"America? What are you doing up here?"

"Maxon! I was on my way back from meeting with your mother."

"My mother? Why were you meeting with my mother?" He asked confused. He still hadn't let me go.

"She just wanted to get to know me better."

Maxon grinned and leaned forward to kiss my forehead. "I'm glad you two are getting to know each other. What are you up to now?"

"I was going back to my room to get ready to go to dinner."

"How about I walk you to your room, and then you meet me back at mine and we have dinner there, just the two of us?" He asked.

"You don't have any work, or meetings?"

Maxon put my arm in his and started to walk me back to my room. "Believe it or not, I don't. Well, maybe not completely; I'm sure I have some paperwork that I should do, but I need a break and I haven't seen you in days."

Smiling, I leaned into Maxon as we walked. "I've missed you, too."

"Tell me about your afternoon with my mother? What did the two of you talk about?"

"You, mainly. You know you mean the world to her? She is so proud of you, but worries a lot, especially lately." I paused for just a minute, but before Maxon could respond, I added a bit quieter, "I do too."

Maxon stopped and pulled me toward him, pressing his lips against mine. In a voice not much louder than a whisper, with his lips only a couple inches from mine, Maxon looked into my eyes and said, "I wish you two wouldn't."

"If we don't, who will?" I countered, "It's not fair that you are allowed to worry about us, but we aren't allowed to worry about you."

"Touche." He kissed my forehead one more time and then returned to walking. "What else did the two of you talk about?"

"We talked about Carolina, what I did as a five, my family."

"All very important to understanding you. Anything else?"

"Why are you so interested in what we talked about?"

"America, you two are the two people I care for the most in the entire world. You have no idea how happy it makes me that the two of you are spending time getting to know each other more. It matters to me, quite a lot, that the two of you become closer." His tone was completely serious and filled with love.

"We didn't talk about much else. She gave me some advice."

"What for?"

"A few things. Mainly about this apology I have to give on the Report this week."

"Ah, yes. My father mentioned that. How is it coming?"

I sighed. "I don't know, Maxon. I thought I had it finished, but the more I think about it, the more I feel I can't give the one that I wrote."

"Why not?"

"I just...I don't believe in what I am saying, Maxon; and I don't know how to fix it."

We had reached my room. Maxon stopped and thought for a second. "Why don't you bring it with you tonight? We can go over it and I'll see if I can help."

"Are you sure? It's your night off from work."

Maxon kissed me. "I'm absolutely sure. I want to help, America."

"Okay," I agreed.

"I will see you soon, then. Just come up when you're ready; I'll make sure to let the guards know you are supposed to be there." He kissed me one last time and walked back down the hall.

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 **Hey guys! I hope you've enjoyed the last few chapters and this one! I wasn't going to update for about another week, but I was just too excited for this chapter and had to finish it! I love Queen Amberly! I was really looking forward to seeing her become more involved in The Selection, but I felt like she never really did in the actual series. I think her and America would have had a really sweet relationship. I think the Queen is a lot more aware of Maxon and how he feels than she appears, and I feel like she wouldn't just sit by and watch, especially with The Selection now down to four girls. So that is something I really want to incorporate in this story.**

 **Hopefully this will hold you off for now. It will be about a week before I can update again.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

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 **chescaannie** —Thank you so much for your review! I'm glad you're enjoying the story!


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone! I am so, so, so sorry that it has taken me so long to update! I just hit one of those random few weeks where everything is crazy, especially with school (I had like, 2 essays, 3 tests, and a ton of homework all in like, 3 or so weeks).**

 **But here is an update! Yay! I hope you guys enjoy it; let me know what you think!**

 **Happy reading :)**

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Half an hour later, I was walking up to Maxon's door. It had been while my maids were hurrying to get me ready that I realized that I hadn't actually been in Maxon's room yet. I had been in the princess room yet. I had been in the princess room which was adjacent to his when I last saw Marlee, but this was my first time in his; I felt as if I was about to step into a completely separate world, into a world that was only Maxon's.

The guard by the door nodded his head, acknowledging me. "Lady America."

Nervously, I spluttered, "I'm having dinner with Maxo—with Prince Maxon. He said he would notify the guards and I made it up with no problem but I don't know if he—of course he would. Of course he told you. I'm sorry."

The guard just smiled and waited for me to stop, then he knocked on the door. Opening it, he announced, "Lady America, your highness."

"Thank you, Officer Gillian."

I walked in and was blinded by a sudden flash. Once my eyes adjusted, I saw the reason; Maxon was holding one of his cameras. I shook my head and laughed. "You and your cameras."

I can't help it; you're just too beautiful not to take a picture." I just shook my head at the compliment, however I couldn't wipe the smile from my face.

Maxon set down his camera and came over to me. I had been holding my speech in my hand; he took it and set it on the back of the couch and then pulled me into his arms. "This has been long overdue."

"What has?"

"A real date with you, not in the middle of the night, or hiding in a safe room with you cleaning up my back. A real, sit down dinner date, just the two of us."

"It has been a while."

"And—" Maxon hesitated, "having you here, in my room." I waited for him to finish. He took a deep breath and added, "I was thinking about the other night, in your room—"

I ran my hands up and down his back. "Go on, Maxon. I'm listening."

"You were right, to say that I do my best to hide my struggles and my problems from those close to me. A habit I picked up years ago to protect those I love. But—it's not fair to you. I did ask you to be more open with me, to trust me, but I haven't been open with you as much as I should. I haven't let you in completely, so—" he took a deep breath, "so I am tonight. At least, in a more physical sense than metaphorical. This room, this is one of the few places that is truly mine and mine alone; it is where I come to escape—well, when I can't come to you." I was pretty sure I was blushing. "It's probably not as exciting as you were expecting, but—" I could hear the nervousness in his voice. This single moment, something so simple, meant enough to him that he would be nervous.

I stood on my toes and kissed Macon to stop him. "It's perfect, Maxon. It's you."

And it was, without question. It was a long, rectangular room. All the furniture was dark stained wood and all but one wall was painted a warm grey color; the wall on the left had wood paneling the same color as the furniture. On the wall in front of me had the french double doors leading to the balcony on the left. Beside those on the right was a desk that would best be described as organized chaos. Continuing down the wall was Maxon's bed; it was a large, king-sized bed with a deep blue bedding. And next to the bed was a large window.

On the left of the room was a large fireplace, bookshelves on both sides, with a couple of chairs, a large couch and coffee table in the middle. All the colors were deep blue's, warm grays, blacks, and a few pops of white with some pillows or blankets. To the right were doors to the bathroom and closet, some paintings hung on the wall, and a cabinet with some rifles.

I could see how this was a room made to be a reprieve from the world. It was warm, calm, cozy. It was his personal space that he had allowed me to come into.

"I'm glad you like it. May I show you my favorite part?"

My mind wandering to secret passages and hidden rooms, I nodded. I was confused when Maxon simply turned me around so I was facing the way that I came in; but was almost instantly stunned and speechless. I took a few steps closer to admire it better. On the bottom half of the wall were large, low display cases where Maxon kept his cameras. But above those cases, covering the majority of the wall, were pictures of all kinds. The majority looked like pictures Maxon had taken; then there were pictures that looked like they were take from books, magazines, newspapers, and so on. There were pictures of places (places in Illea and of foreign countries), pieces of art, of statues, and sculptures, and paintings, but mostly there were pictures of people: strangers, foreign diplomats, and Maxon's family. The selected appeared often, the elite more than the rest. And out of everything on the wall, my face appeared the most. Some pictures I could recognize and remember Maxon taking, but most I didn't. They were taken in moments I was unaware that I was being watched.

Maxon had let me move closer and stayed back where he was, watching me silently. Eventually, he asked, "What do you think, America?"

I hadn't realized until I tried to talk, but I was on the verge of crying. My eyes had welled up and my voice felt choked off, but I managed to squeak out, "It's beautiful, Maxon."

He walked over and stood beside me. I looped my arm through his and rested my head against his shoulder. "When did you take all these?"

He shrugged. "Here and there. Most of them I took when I had only a few spare minutes, not enough time to actually spend with one of you. You really like it?"

I looked up at him when I answered. "Of course I do, Maxon. I grew up with artists; trust me when I say that this is art."

Maxon wrapped his arm around me and just stood there with me, taking it in. But after a couple minutes, my stomach started growling. I had forgotten that I was starving. Maxon just laughed. "Come on, my darling. Let's eat before the food gets cold." There was a table set up in the middle of the room, candle lit and everything, with a small table beside it that held the food. Dinner, of course, was amazing as always. We had some sort of beef stew, fresh, homemade bread, and my favorite strawberry tarts for dessert.

After dinner, Maxon took me out onto the balcony. Even though I was wearing a floor length dress with long sleeves, there was just enough of a chill out that I shivered, so he put his coat over my shoulders. We stood in comfortable silence simply enjoying the time we were spending together; Maxon's room overlooked a section of the gardens that I wasn't familiar with, and beyond the gardens were endless trees. I stood by the railing and Maxon stood behind me with his arms wrapped around my chest so his hands were resting just below my shoulders. I leaned into him, feeling warm and comfortable in his embrace.

I was home. Right here wrapped up in his arms was home. Maxon was home.

His arms moved to being wrapped around my waist and Maxon started a trail of kisses that went from my shoulder to my jawline, right below my mouth. I intertwined my fingers in his; he responded by tightening his arms, pulling me closer against him. I let out a deep, relaxed breath. I felt Maxon's lips turned up in a smile. He kissed a path from my jaw to my ear. Lips close enough that they tickled when he talked, Maxon asked in a low, soft voice, "what are you thinking about my darling."

What was I thinking about? I was thinking about us. I was thinking about how the past few months had changed my life completely and changed what I wanted from it. I was thinking about how much I had missed being able to just spend time with Maxon. I was thinking about how perfectly I fit in his arms, against his chest and how I loved being between the two. How I felt completely safe in his hold. I was thinking about how I loved the faint tingling sensation that was left on my skin after Maxon kissed it. How I loved the butterflies I still got in my stomach whenever I saw him. I was thinking about how deeply intertwined my emotions were with his. I was happy when he was happy, worried when I could see that he was worried, that work was getting harder and harder, miserable when we are fighting.

I was thinking about how much I loved Maxon. I knew in that moment that I had to tell him. Even though I didn't want to be the first, if I was ever going to fully gain back his trust, I needed to tell him what I was feeling and I needed to tell him the moment I was feeling it.

I turned around in his arms to face him; he let go of my hands and loosened his hold, but didn't let go. The moment I stopped moving, his arms pulled me into him. I could feel the heat of his hands on my hips through my dress. I brought my hands up to his face; I could feel a hint of stubble. Looking Maxon straight in the eye, I confessed into the silence, "I love you, Maxon."

Like that late night in my room not long ago when I told Maxon I wanted to be here for him, I could see and feel him physically relax. He grinned like an idiot and his arms pulled me up against him. Right before his lips met mine, he responded, "I love you, America. I love you so much."

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 **debbiewilliams1130—** You are so sweet! I'm doing great; it has just been a crazy past few weeks. Sorry I took so long to update! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone! Since I went so long without updating, I figured I should give you at least two this time :) I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Happy reading :)**

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My night with Maxon lasted until around midnight, when I finally gave in to his insisting that I needed to go to bed. I was in ecstasy for the next two days, leading right up to the report when I suddenly came crashing down. The weight of what I was about to do sunk in as my maids started getting me ready for the evening. Maxon had helped me rewrite my speech until it was something that I felt I could give. The only problem was the King. I had no idea how he would react to it. Walking from my room to the studio, my hands started to shake and they wouldn't stop. Running into the King a few hundred feet from the room didn't help either.

"Lady America, I do hope you are ready for tonight."

"I am, your majesty." I put my hands behind my back to hide how much they were shaking and I refused to let my voice quiver. I didn't want him to see me as weak.

"Well, I would wish you good luck, but truthfully, it would be far more beneficial to me for you to fail."

"I am determined not to, your majesty."

"Well, we'll see." He turned around and walked into the studio. I felt like any of the courage I had managed to muster from my room to where I stood disappeared immediately. The only comfort I had now was knowing that Maxon would be right beside me during the interview. I took a deep breath and walked into the studio. I was one of the last people to show up; really the only other person missing was Celeste, who always arrived just on time. If she could arrive late to the report without any consequences, I was sure she would.

I sat down in my seat and without even thinking about it, I looked for Maxon. He was sitting in his seat beside his father. He had already been watching me. When my eyes met him, he smiled encouraginly and tugged his ear. I mustered the best smile that I could and tugged mine back. But then places were called and the show started. The King gave his usual update; I was too caught up in my own nervousness to even pay attention. Then the time went to Gavril; tonight he was interviewing the Elite about the past few weeks since we hadn't been interviewed since before the attack on the palace. Maxon sat on the couch provided with us while we were interviewed, adding his two cents every now and then.

Before I knew it, it was my turn. I got up from my seat and went to sit beside Maxon. Once I was seated, he moved slightly closer to me and took hold of my hand and gave it a squeeze. The look in his eyes tried to convey support. Without using words, he was doing his best to tell me, "Relax, I'm here, you're going to do fine, I love you." I was never more grateful to have him beside me.

Gavril started out by asking about my past couple weeks, if I had done anything exciting with Maxon lately. He swooned over the description I gave of the romantic candle-lit dinner. But after only a couple questions, he came to the question of the night.

"Now, Lady America, when the other elite presented their projects a few weeks ago, we had some technical difficulties and you were unable to finish your presentation. I understand you wanted to talk to us more about it tonight?

I looked at Maxon. Ever so slightly, just enough for me to notice, he nodded his head, encouraging me.

Taking a deep breath, I explained, "Yes, Gavril, I did. I would like to explain myself, if that is alright with you."

"By all means, please do!"

I looked at Maxon. Ever so slightly, just enough for me to notice, he nodded his head, encouraging me. I started, "When I had been thinking about what my project would be, I was thinking of all the experiences I had growing up as a five. Now, I don't mean to ask for pity, or to try and make this about myself. Really, we did alright; we were far better off than some families. And I'm sure plenty of the people watching this right now know exactly what I am talking about. But it was recently pointed out to me that not everyone will understand. They can try to and try to imagine what it is like to not be sure if you are going to make it from one day to the next, if the money will be there or not, if you will have any work, but they really won't know. So, I would like to try and describe it so that everyone can."

In the most serious tone I had ever heard Gavril use, he urged, "Please do, Lady America."

"Well, take yourself for example, Gavril. You wake up every morning in a nice, soft bed, in a sturdy, heated house. Then you get dressed in nice, clean clothes, eat a filling breakfast, and go to work. There is nothing you have to question about any of that, and you shouldn't. But there are many that don't have those luxuries. They probably wake up in a small apartment that holds more people than can really fit, and it probably isn't heated, or at least heated well. If there is food, there isn't much and it has to be shared. The idea of being full is foreign. Then you go to work, if you can find it. Often you are just picking up any small job you can find. In my family, it is a general rule that you don't turn down any offer of work. And everyone works the moment you are able. For example, once I had finally learned an instrument well enough to play in front of an audience or sing, I went to gigs with my mother. But even then, with everyone working, money is still extremely tight. You only buy the necessities. There was a year, right around Christmas, where money was so low that we had to decide between turning the heat on or buying food."

Gavril was nearly speechless, something I didn't think was possible. His voice was almost shaky when he spoke, "I think you are right, Lady America, to say that not all of us truly understand those types of situations. And I would have to include myself in that group."

"And for the most part, it isn't anyone's fault, Gavril. Whether you understand those situations or not, that typically is determined by your caste, which is why I originally thought that, the best solution would be to fix this was to get rid of the caste system all together."

"Originally, so you don't feel this way anymore?" Gavril asked.

I took a deep breath. "No, Gavril. I have come to realize that removing the caste system would do more harm than good. It is how this country is structured, and the moment you take that structure away, we would collapse. And I am sorry for any problems I have caused because of it."

"What would you recommend we do instead? How do we fix some of the problems you brought to our attention?"

"Well, there have already been some great suggestions and plans presented that would help. Lady Kriss' plan for education, or Prince Maxon's free meals project. However, on their own they won't be enough."

"And why is that, Lady America?"

"Well, educating the population is a good idea, but if people are still starving, it won't lower crime."

"But won't that be solved by his highness' free meals program?"

"While it will help many people, it is only a temporary solution."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I believe that a good start would be to enforce a minimum pay for specific jobs, because there isn't one right now. Most of the jobs that the lower castes work, they are employed by the upper castes, cleaning, music, art commissions, book keeping, and so on. People can ask for a certain amount per hour, but it is really whatever the person hiring them wants to pay, and as I said before, you generally don't turn down work. But by having a minimum amount that they would be paid, it would already increase their ability to provide for themselves and their families."

"And how would we go about enforcing this? What can we do to make people want to pay this?"

I glanced at Maxon and finished, "Well, to paraphrase what Prince Maxon once said, it is time to recognize when we have been blessed with privaledges and recognize that not everyone has those. I truly believe there are ways that everyone, from every walk of life can help each other. And one of the first big ways to do that is seeing the worth in everyone, and when you hire them to do a job, to pay them for what they are worth."

"Well said, Lady America, thank you. We don't have much more time left, but is there anything you would like to add or say, your highness?"

"I don't think there is much more I can say, Gavril. Lady America has about said it all. But I will add this, since the start of the selection, since all of these girls have come to the palace, my eyes have been opened to peoples situations that I was unaware about before, and I am ever so grateful that they have been. There is a lot of work we have to do as a country, a lot we need to improve on. And as Lady America has said, it starts with learning to see each other as equals, as other human beings and not just as numbers."

"Thank you, Prince Maxon. Well, that is all the time we have left for tonight. Thank you to everyone who has tuned in to watch tonight and we hope to have you back next week. Goodnight, Illea."

Once the cameras were off, I let out a breath that I didn't even realize I was holding. Maxon leaned over and whispered into my ear, "That was great, America. You did a good job."

"Thank you. If only my hands would stop shaking now." I tried to laugh it off, but it didn't seem to convince Maxon. He smiled and reached over to hold both of them in his.

After kissing them, Maxon said, "I will try to stop by tonight, but don't wait up for me." I nodded. He squeezed my hands, then stood up and walked away. When I stood up, Gavril came over to me and held out his hand.

"That was very impressive, Lady America. You should be proud of yourself."

"Oh, thank-you, Gavril." He nodded and left to go talk to someone else. I looked around and noticed that the King had already left. Worried, I scanned the room for Maxon. I had been too nervous to look and see the King's attitude during my speech. But I quickly found Maxon, talking with one of the king's advisers. My panic subsided in an instant.

I started to make my way out of the room when the Queen came up to me. "Lady America."

"Your majesty," I curtsied.

"I am very impressed, America. I'm glad to see that you took my advice."

"It was very helpful. I just hope his majesty was pleased with it."

"I don't think it was what he was expecting, but I don't believe you need worry."

"Thank you, your majesty." She smiled back and walked away. I stayed for one more minute, and then went back to my room to hopefully try and calm myself down.


End file.
